Sowore Unveils "Real Sponsors" of Hardship Protest

• Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and politician, has hinted at the major sponsors of the planned hardship August protests
• Sowore challenged narratives portraying the protests as violent, citing an example of the peaceful nature of Ekki Tollgate demonstrations until they met with aggression
• Sowore emphasised that Nigeria is on the brink of a revolutionary period due to widespread dissatisfaction, with citizens demanding better governance

FCT, Abuja—Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and politician, has revealed the true catalysts behind the planned hardship protest in Nigeria.

Sowore also refuted claims of external financial sponsors and emphasised the role of socio-economic issues in fueling the demonstrations.

Legit.ng reports that the protests in Nigeria have been driven by escalating economic hardship, rising unemployment, and a perception of widespread corruption and insecurity.

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Demonstrations have occurred in various parts of the country, with citizens demanding better governance and accountability from their leaders.

In a recent interview, Sowore passionately addressed the root causes of the protests, pointing out that the real sponsors are not shadowy figures or foreign entities but the severe hardships everyday Nigerians face.

He said:

"What is sponsoring this protest are: hunger, poverty, insecurity, corruption, unemployment.

"They are the ones sponsoring us. Nobody is bankrolling anybody and this protest would have been a reality."

Sowore disagrees with narratives of violence

Sowore also challenged the prevailing narratives that painted the protesters as violent agitators.

Referencing the infamous Lekki Tollgate incident during the #EndSARS protests, he questioned the portrayal of the demonstrators, alleging that the Federal Government (FG) began the violence.

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He said:

"Are you telling me that those who are at Lekki Tollgate were violent? When the soldiers came and were singing the national anthem?"

He insisted that the protests were peaceful until they were met with unwarranted aggression from the authorities and that the narrative of violence was a tool to delegitimise genuine grievances.

Sowore: It's a revolutionary period

Sowore emphasised the urgency and significance of the current protests, suggesting Nigeria is on the brink of a revolutionary period due to widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo.

He stressed that the protests manifest the people's pent-up frustrations and desire for meaningful change.

He noted:

"We can't move on from these narratives because we are now on the cusp of a revolutionary period."

Nigerian youths speak to Legit.ng

Some of the Nigerian youths who spoke to Legit.ng at the weekend refuted the federal government's claims that the hardship protest is a ploy to destroy the country's economy.

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They noted that the current spate of hunger in the country is taking a toll on them, hence the motivation to demand a better Nigeria.

An Abuja-based trader, Samuel Adebayo, said:

"We just want a better Nigeria. We want jobs, safety, and a chance to live without fear or want."

Marylin Adamu, a 300level student of the Federal University of Nasarawa state, Lafiya, said:

"The suffering in Nigeria is too much. It is not getting any better. Take for example the issue of fuel, today young will buy fuel in the fuel station, the following day, the fuel stations are closed down.

"No consistency and the price of edible commodities in the market has increased by far. The protest is justified and Nigerian youths will not fail to speak out."

Sanusi decries spate of economic hardship in Nigeria

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has voiced serious concerns about Nigerians' severe economic hardships.

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Sanusi made these remarks on Thursday, July 18, during a ceremony at the Government House for distributing free fertiliser to 52,800 smallholder farmers across the 44 local government areas of Kano State.

Source: Legit.ng